SSP’s Statement on the Black Lives Matter Movement

As a community, SSP celebrates the lives of our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) siblings in Christ, who have too often been prevented from living safely and securely. We acknowledge and condemn the systems of oppression which continue to prioritize Whiteness while dehumanizing Black lives. We support #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd and #BlackLivesMatter, and stand with this week’s protests as we collectively seek to disrupt harmful norms within our world, replacing them with equity and justice.

Sierra Service Project is aware we have many areas as an organization in which we have room to grow in our expression of anti-racism. We confess our leadership is, and has historically been, primarily White. We continue to work towards fostering inclusive and BIPOC-elevating spaces, but know there are many missteps along the journey. As a community, we repent of inherent harm and microaggressions that emerge as a result of White-led spaces, and commit to daily seeking to do better. This has long been a discussion within our staff and board, but must also be stated publicly.

As anti-racist allies, we want to go beyond virtue signaling and commit to taking action. Below are some ways you can join SSP in taking action because Black Lives Matter:

1. Educate yourself and your community: Research ways to grow as an ally to Black people and anti-racist efforts using existing resources rather than adding to the burden of BIPOC to educate you.
2. Share media responsibly: Check your sources, elevate BIPOC voices, and protect faces of protesters when documenting.
3. Join in safely protesting as you’re able.
4. Donate to BIPOC-led nonprofits whose primary work is advocating for BIPOC.
5. Support BIPOC-owned small businesses.

We hope to be transparent in our ongoing efforts to create equitable and safe spaces as a network of helpers, justice-seekers, healers, people of faith, and community builders. Join us in seeking to be bearers of goodness in every way, so we might truly open minds, hearts, and doors.

Editor’s Note: SSP’s most updated communication is typically available first via email, as well as on our Facebook, Instagram, and the downloads page of our website. In addition, we continue to update our advocacy page on an ongoing basis to share ways our community can join existing advocacy efforts local to SSP’s partner communities.

Updated 6/10/2020: As we commit to showing up every day in the work of anti-racism, our staff have been diving into learning materials and preparing for training curriculum which will address the ways we can be better allies as an organization to BIPOC. Some of these resources are compiled in this Google Doc, which we encourage you to also utilize and add to.